diff --git a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
index df74cf5de1..debfca3388 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             collapse_lhs: false,
             collapse_rhs: false,
             ready: false,
-            width: 10000
+            width: 10000,
         };
         if (s.logged_in) {
             if (MatrixClientPeg.get().getRooms().length) {
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 });
                 break;
             case 'view_room':
-                this._viewRoom(payload.room_id);
+                this._viewRoom(payload.room_id, payload.show_settings);
                 break;
             case 'view_prev_room':
                 roomIndexDelta = -1;
@@ -357,8 +357,29 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 this.notifyNewScreen('settings');
                 break;
             case 'view_create_room':
-                this._setPage(this.PageTypes.CreateRoom);
-                this.notifyNewScreen('new');
+                //this._setPage(this.PageTypes.CreateRoom);
+                //this.notifyNewScreen('new');
+
+                var ErrorDialog = sdk.getComponent("dialogs.ErrorDialog");
+                var Loader = sdk.getComponent("elements.Spinner");
+                var modal = Modal.createDialog(Loader);
+
+                MatrixClientPeg.get().createRoom({
+                    preset: "private_chat"
+                }).done(function(res) {
+                    modal.close();
+                    dis.dispatch({
+                        action: 'view_room',
+                        room_id: res.room_id,
+                        show_settings: true,
+                    });
+                }, function(err) {
+                    modal.close();
+                    Modal.createDialog(ErrorDialog, {
+                        title: "Failed to create room",
+                        description: err.toString()
+                    });
+                });
                 break;
             case 'view_room_directory':
                 this._setPage(this.PageTypes.RoomDirectory);
@@ -399,7 +420,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         });
     },
 
-    _viewRoom: function(roomId) {
+    _viewRoom: function(roomId, showSettings) {
         // before we switch room, record the scroll state of the current room
         this._updateScrollMap();
 
@@ -437,6 +458,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             var scrollState = this.scrollStateMap[roomId];
             this.refs.roomView.restoreScrollState(scrollState);
         }
+        if (this.refs.roomView && showSettings) {
+            this.refs.roomView.showSettings(true);
+        }
     },
 
     // update scrollStateMap according to the current scroll state of the
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
index 0688b98ca5..c65a94ecfe 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             hasUnsentMessages: this._hasUnsentMessages(room),
             callState: null,
             guestsCanJoin: false,
-            readMarkerEventId: room.getEventReadUpTo(MatrixClientPeg.get().credentials.userId),
+            readMarkerEventId: room ? room.getEventReadUpTo(MatrixClientPeg.get().credentials.userId) : undefined,
             readMarkerGhostEventId: undefined
         }
     },
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             old_guest_join = (old_guest_join.getContent().guest_access === "can_join");
         }
         else {
-            old_guest_join = (old_guest_join.getContent().guest_access === "forbidden");            
+            old_guest_join = false;
         }
 
         var old_canonical_alias = this.state.room.currentState.getStateEvents('m.room.canonical_alias', '');
@@ -1337,6 +1337,13 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         }
     },
 
+    showSettings: function(show) {
+        // XXX: this is a bit naughty; we should be doing this via props
+        if (show) {
+            this.setState({editingRoomSettings: true});
+        }
+    },
+
     render: function() {
         var RoomHeader = sdk.getComponent('rooms.RoomHeader');
         var MessageComposer = sdk.getComponent('rooms.MessageComposer');
@@ -1487,7 +1494,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
             var aux = null;
             if (this.state.editingRoomSettings) {
-                aux = <RoomSettings ref="room_settings" onSaveClick={this.onSaveClick} room={this.state.room} />;
+                aux = <RoomSettings ref="room_settings" onSaveClick={this.onSaveClick} onCancelClick={this.onCancelClick} room={this.state.room} />;
             }
             else if (this.state.uploadingRoomSettings) {
                 var Loader = sdk.getComponent("elements.Spinner");                
diff --git a/src/components/views/elements/EditableText.js b/src/components/views/elements/EditableText.js
index 32a90de7c7..2db4bec556 100644
--- a/src/components/views/elements/EditableText.js
+++ b/src/components/views/elements/EditableText.js
@@ -61,7 +61,12 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
     },
 
     componentWillReceiveProps: function(nextProps) {
-        this.value = nextProps.initialValue;
+        if (nextProps.initialValue !== this.props.initialValue) {
+            this.value = nextProps.initialValue;
+            if (this.refs.editable_div) {
+                this.showPlaceholder(!this.value);
+            }
+        }
     },
 
     componentDidMount: function() {
@@ -71,11 +76,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         }
     },
 
-    componentDidUpdate: function(newProps) {
-        this.value = this.props.initialValue;
-        if (this.refs.editable_div) {
-            this.showPlaceholder(!this.value);
-        }        
+    componentDidUpdate: function() {
     },
 
     showPlaceholder: function(show) {
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/MemberList.js b/src/components/views/rooms/MemberList.js
index eac5466e88..535c194ea1 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/MemberList.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/MemberList.js
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         } else {
             return (
                 <form onSubmit={this.onPopulateInvite}>
-                    <input className="mx_MemberList_invite" ref="invite" placeholder="Invite user (email)"/>
+                    <input className="mx_MemberList_invite" ref="invite" id="mx_MemberList_invite" placeholder="Invite user (email)"/>
                 </form>
             );
         }
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomHeader.js b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomHeader.js
index 21a030e7f2..8d419f7be6 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomHeader.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomHeader.js
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
                 // calculate permissions.  XXX: this should be done on mount or something, and factored out with RoomSettings
                 var power_levels = this.props.room.currentState.getStateEvents('m.room.power_levels', '');
-                var events_levels = power_levels.events || {};
+                var events_levels = (power_levels ? power_levels.events : {}) || {};
                 var user_id = MatrixClientPeg.get().credentials.userId;
 
                 if (power_levels) {
@@ -169,20 +169,21 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                     var user_levels = [];
                     var current_user_level = 0;
                 }
+                var state_default = parseInt((power_levels ? power_levels.state_default : 0) || 0);
 
-                var room_avatar_level = parseInt(power_levels.state_default || 0);
+                var room_avatar_level = state_default;
                 if (events_levels['m.room.avatar'] !== undefined) {
                     room_avatar_level = events_levels['m.room.avatar'];
                 }
                 var can_set_room_avatar = current_user_level >= room_avatar_level;
 
-                var room_name_level = parseInt(power_levels.state_default || 0);
+                var room_name_level = state_default;
                 if (events_levels['m.room.name'] !== undefined) {
                     room_name_level = events_levels['m.room.name'];
                 }
                 var can_set_room_name = current_user_level >= room_name_level;
 
-                var room_topic_level = parseInt(power_levels.state_default || 0);
+                var room_topic_level = state_default;
                 if (events_levels['m.room.topic'] !== undefined) {
                     room_topic_level = events_levels['m.room.topic'];
                 }
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomSettings.js b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomSettings.js
index b14c103efd..25184387c8 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomSettings.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomSettings.js
@@ -39,9 +39,16 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
     propTypes: {
         room: React.PropTypes.object.isRequired,
+        onSaveClick: React.PropTypes.func,
+        onCancelClick: React.PropTypes.func,
     },
 
     componentDidMount: function() {
+        // XXX: dirty hack to gutwrench to focus on the invite box
+        if (this.props.room.getJoinedMembers().length == 1) {
+            var inviteBox = document.getElementById("mx_MemberList_invite");
+            if (inviteBox) setTimeout(function() { inviteBox.focus(); }, 0);
+        }
     },
 
     getInitialState: function() {
@@ -310,7 +317,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             guest_access = guest_access.getContent().guest_access;
         }
 
-        var events_levels = power_levels.events || {};
+        var events_levels = (power_levels ? power_levels.events : {}) || {};
 
         var user_id = MatrixClientPeg.get().credentials.userId;
 
@@ -359,13 +366,15 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             var can_change_levels = false;
         }
 
-        var room_aliases_level = parseInt(power_levels.state_default || 0);
+        var state_default = (parseInt(power_levels ? power_levels.state_default : 0) || 0);
+
+        var room_aliases_level = state_default;
         if (events_levels['m.room.aliases'] !== undefined) {
             room_avatar_level = events_levels['m.room.aliases'];
         }
         var can_set_room_aliases = current_user_level >= room_aliases_level;
 
-        var canonical_alias_level = parseInt(power_levels.state_default || 0);
+        var canonical_alias_level = state_default;
         if (events_levels['m.room.canonical_alias'] !== undefined) {
             room_avatar_level = events_levels['m.room.canonical_alias'];
         }